Hydroaeroplane.



G. H. CURTISS.

HYDROAEROPLANE.

APPLICATION FILEDJULY25. I916.

Patented Oct. 31, 1916.

5 SHEETS-SHUT! GLENN H.0URTI55.

Patented 0m. 31,1916.

G. H. CURTISS.

HYDROAEROPLANE.

APPLlCATlON FILED JULY 25. 1916.

1 203,550. Patented Oct. 31, 1916.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 3- G. H. CURTISS.

HYDROAEROPLANE.

' APPLICATION FILED JULY 25. 1916. 1,203,550. Patented Oct. 81,1916.

5. SHEETS-SHEET 4' 6 vflf 95 L H1 I III gvw'emto'c GLENN H.611 RTISS.

G. H. CURTISS.

HYDROAEROPLANE Patented Oct. 31, 1916 1 APPLICATION FILED JULY 25. m

9 115 5 SHEETS-SHEET s. 116 11 I I awucufoz 107 GLENN H .CURTISS BEST AVAILABLE COP UNITED STATES-PATENT OFFICE.

GLENN H. oun'rrssor BUFFALO, NEW YORK, assienon T CURTISS AEnorLaNEa moron CORPORATIONQA CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

HYDROAEROPLANE.

Original application filed August 22, 1911, Serial No. 645,340. Divided and this application filed m 25,

- v 1916. Serial No. 111,243. I

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GLENN H. Cnmuss, a citizen of the United States, residing at Buffalo, in the county of Erie and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Hydroaeroplanes,

of which the following is a specification.

My inventionrelates to improvements in heaVier-thamair flying machines, and has reference particularly. to a machine adapted to alight onthe water and rise therefrom by its own power. v

The invention is directed to the longitudi- 'Iial' balance and control of the machine.

This application is a division of my copending application S. 'No. 645,340 filed August 22, 1911.

My invention will be set forth in the claims.

In the drawings which show the preferred form of my invention, Figure 1 is a perspective view from the front, parts having been omitted inorder not to complicate the drawings; Fig. 2 is a side elevation; Figs ,3, 4 and 14 are details of the folding wheel construction; Fig. 5 is a top plan view of the machine; Fig. 6 a front "view showing the arrangement of the mechanism for operating the ailerons; Figs. 7 and 8 are rear and side elevations of a socket; Fig. 9 is a front elevation of aportion of the superposed surfaces; Fig. 10 a plan view of one ofthe panels; Fig. 11 a front elevation of a machine'having three superposed surfaces; Fig. 12 is a sectional detail of Fig. 10 taken onthe line XX, and Figs. 1316 are enlarged details.

' It is desirable that provision maybe made by which the machine may land and .float on the water and be driven forward by its own power in contact with the water,

at a speed suflicient to cause the lift of the air tobe greater than the weight of the whole machine, in order that the machine may rise out of the water and fly in the air. In the drawings I have shown an aeroplane or heavier-than-air machine provided with floating means to support the same on the is preferably split up into two superposed Patented Oct. 31, 1916.

areas or surfaces 1 and 2 connected by spacing posts3- and l. These aeroplane surfaces define the region of aeroplane lift, and in them as in all cambered or curved aerolever 7 located in front of the operators seat and pivoted at 8 to rock back and forth. 9 is a connecting bar pivoted at its ends to the elevating plane 5 and to the lower end of the said post 7. y

10 and 11 are fixed horizontal surfaces at the rear, and 1,2, 13 are substantially horizontal elevating rudderspivoted to the fixed surfaces at 14c.

15 is a vertical rudder pivoted to the fixed surface.

16, 17 is the bed for the engine 18. This engine may be the well known eight cylinder horse-power four cycle Cu'rtiss engine, the cylinders being arranged in V position with radiator 19, tail shaft 20, and propeller 21 having a radius of 3?; feet and pitch of 6 feet rotating at about 1200 revolutions per 'These ailerons may be thrown in opposite directions by the operator by means which will be hereafter described and which are shown in Fig. 6,.in order to restore the equilibrium of the machine in flight through the air.

The elevating rudders 5, 12- and 13 serve to direct the course of the machineup or down as desired, and the means by which they may be operated will be more particularly described hereafter.

Carried below the aeroplane surface 2 and fixed thereto by braces 24, 25, 26 is a floating means or base adapted to support the machine on the water. In the preferred form of my invention shown in the drawings this consists of a single watertight boat 27, one foot deep, two feet wide, and 16 feet long, flat on top and bottom and upwardly- BESTAVAILABLE cos 2 r;

inclined at its forward under-surface 28 to form a transversely broad landing prow and downwardly inclined at its rear upper surface 29 to form in intersection with the bot 5 tom a transverse terminal edge extending all the way across the boat. The surface 28 and the flat bottom are hydroplaning surfaces and both of them terminate laterally in abruptly turned chine edges. When the machine is at rest on the water the boat or base is submerged to substantially the water line indicated bythe dotted line 30, and preferably extends somewhat forward of the aeroplane proper and to the rear of the pro-,

.15 P r 21 and also to the rear of the center of gravity of the machine.

It will be observed that thefront or nose of the base is projected a greater distance in front of the aeroplane wings than is the rear terminus to the rear thereof.- Thus obviously the major portion of the under hydro-surface lies inadvance of the region of aeroplane lift. It will also be obvious that when the machine is'at speed on the 25 water the action of 'the surface of the inclined prow and flat bottomlifts the boat to the'top of the water. Furthermore that in accordance with the laws of the hydroplane the region of the center of hydroplane lift lies. nearer to the front edge of the surface than to the rear. edge, in the usual case onethird its length from the leading edge. The projection of the boat forward of the wings as'shown places its central portion opposite the region of the center of aeroplane lift,

andtherefore its own center of lift in advance thereof I prefer to divide the floating means into separate compartments by transverse partitions" 31 to prevent any water which may Iloeak .in from fio'wingback and forth in the oat.

In order to prevent either side of the planes from coming in contact with the water during travel through the water, I have providedat each side thereof devices acted on by the rush of water at positive angles of incidence in order to give a lift to either side which may be depressed. These are preferably upwardly inclined devices extending slightly into the water when the machine is at rest; and which when the machine is at full speed barely touch'the water, and in the'embodiment shown are narrow blades 39 and '40 of flexible wood which, in

traveling over the water, stand in the position shown in.Fig. 1. If either side of the machine tips downward, the blade on that side touches the water and through the lift exerted by the rush of water straightensup the machine to substantial equilibrium. This operation in the embodiment shown takes place without any necessary action on thepart of the operator, and therefore constitutes an automatic stabilizing means- The floats 32 and 33 are preferably pivoted at 34 and'35 to the braces 36, 37, and 38, 38 are springs normally tending to hold the floats horizontal as shown in Fig. 1. In orthe machine 'is at rest on the water, th

floats may be allowed to take the horizont: position and prevent either side of the ma chine from dipping into the water. Whe the machine is started, the operator ma -.thrw his lever to incline the floats an blades, 'as shown in Fig. 1, and they uvi then act as an automatic. stabilizing mean When the machine gets into the air the "0:, erator causes them to return to the box zontal position.

The inclined portion 28 of the boat is 01 form-of a hydro-surface which is adapt to first strikethe water as the machine d scends' and serves totilt the front of t machine upwardly as it alights on t water, in order that the sudden resistam offered by the water may not cause the n chine to dive.

45 and 46 are wheels constituting the p: ferred form of means for, supporting i machine'in travel in contact with the ear if the machine is desired to run over i earth also. They are hung from the n chine and project slightly below the low surface of the boat, as indicated in Fig. In order that they may exert less resista: when the machine is moving through water, I have provided means under the c trol of the operator for raising the Wh( out of the water when the machine is fl( ing, and for depressing the same at n In the preferred construction, 47 is a bI pivoted at 48 to the frame of the mach and 49 is another brace pivoted at 50 to frame, and at 51 pivoted to a short arm A locking device shown in Figs 3 and I detail operates to hold the wheels in tl depressed position shown in Fig. 1 shown in Figs. 3 and 4 and 14- the whe pivoted to the U-shaped frame 52 hai projections 53 pivoted to the U-shaped 54 of the brace 49. Bent arms 55 fixethe frame 52 carry pivoted to them at locking detent 57, which has .a datch-no: engaging a bar 59 on the U-shaped fram- 60 is a spring normally holding the l in the position shown in Fig. 4.

The preferred mechanism for raising BEST AVAlLABLE COP wheels comprises a slidable rack bar 105 spring to draw lever 107 backward. As the foot lever is reciprocated it forces the bar 105 downwardly, being held by detent 106 at each reciprocation, drawing on wire 62 and collapsing the frame 17, 419, 52 to the raised position shown-in Fig. 14. The holding latch 106 may. be tripped by a wire 11-1 and handle 112 adjacent to the operators seat. In order to release lock 57 a wire 113 runs therefore to a pulley 114 loose on wire 62. This latter is slack when the wheels are down and locked, and as the slack is taken up it draws on wire 113, unlocking latch 57 just before wire 62 becomes taut. Of course the other wheel is provided with the same construction, the wires 62 of both wheels being connected to rack bar 105. Releasing the detent 106 before the machine comes 'out of the water allows the'weight of the parts and the resistance offered by the water to throw the wheels back to the locked position shown in Figs. land 4. The machine may then travel out of the water onto the land and over the same without the resistance which would be exerted by the boat 27 if in contact with the earth. I

The elevating rudders 5, 12 and 13 are pivoted on transverse axes 6 and 14. Each of the rear rudders carries a post 63 extending above and below it, and from the upper end of each posta wire 64 leads to the lever 7 below its pivot, and from the lower end of each post 63a wire 65 leads to the lever 7 above its pivot. Consequently when the lever 7 is pulled backward toward' the operator, the connecting bar 9 causes the elevating rudder to be presented to the wind at apositive angle of incidence and both rudders 12 and 13-to be tilted up to a negative angle of incidence. Consequently the action of the air onthe rudder 5 tends to elevate the front of the machine, and the action of the air on the rudder 12 and 13 tends to depress the. rear of the machine. Obviously movement of lever 7 in the opposite direction has the contrary effect. The rudders 12 and 13 are preferably cut away as shown in Fig. 5, and pivoted between them and to the horizontal fixed surface is a vertical rudder 15 which swings between the rudders 12 and 13. The vertical rudder may be operated from a steering wheel 66 mounted on lever 7 and connected to the vertical rudder by tiller ropes 67, passing up through the' hollow lever 7, arm 121 and around said wheel 66'as shown in Fig. 15.

The fixedsurfaces 10 and 11 are substantially V-shaped' but joined together to provide a fixed pivot for the vertical rudder and are fixed at their rear and immovably held attheir'apexes by the connecting struts 68 and 69. This construction prevents the whipping which might occur if the V- shaped space between them were not provided. 1

The ailerons 22, 23 are preferably located substantially midway between the surfaces 1 and 2, and therefore are not so much affected by the deflection of the air-Vcurrents caused by the impingement of the air on said surfaces 1 and 2, as said ailerons would be if they were hung directly to therear edge of said surface. In the present embodiment I have shown them as pivoted to the rear posts, but this location is not essential,- al though such location is preferable as the wedging effect of the air is less at this position than would be the case if they were moved forward and pivoted to the front posts. I, however, do not desire to be lim-- ited to either such location of the ailerons.

In order to provide means under the con provided connections therefrom by which the operator may tilt them in either direction, and preferably simultaneously in opposite directions. This in the embodiment shown comprises a laterally movable device, such as a shoulder frame 70, pivoted to the seat '71 by connecting bars 115, 116, 117 by which the frame may be moved from side to side, and carrying pivoted to it a rocking arm 72 with wires or ropes 73, 74 and 7 5, 76, said wires being attached to the projections or posts 77, 7 8 on the ailerons. It will be ObVlous that moving the shoulder frame in either lateral direction willtilt the ailerons 1n opposite directions. The ailerons, as well, as the rear rudders l2 and 13, are stiffened by wire running from each end of the posts or projections thereon to the corners of said surfaces.

In order to allow the control mechanism which operates the ailerons and vertical and horizontal rudders to be shifted to or from to connect the frame 119 to the aileron wires so that they may be operated from frame 119 I have provided a latch 120 which may be snapped over frame 70 as shown in dotted lines. Thismay be done, almost instantaneously, and the passenger may then In orderto pass the operate the ailerons.

control for the vertical and. horizontal rudder to the passenger I prefer to rotatably mount the steering wheel 66' w1thi n 'a seer Av rLAsLEcoe eam fork 66 on arm 121 pivoted to lever 7 at 122 so that the wheel may be passed across from one seat to the other., It may be locked in either position by a quadrant 1 23 5 fixed to lever 7 and a spring latch 12a on arm .121. This construction has been used withperfect success in transferring control of the machine from one operator to another during free flight in the air. Obviously the mode of operation of the machine is precisely the same from either seat. In order to provide a construction of the surfaces 1 and 2 which will allow the same to be inexpensively constructed and'easily 15 set up and taken down, I prefer to build said surfaces of similar panels, with sockets by which a panel may be easily fastened to or detached from an adjacent panel, and the 'socketsprovided with means for attaching the spacing posts to them in order that any number of surfaces may be easily superposed, and in factany form of machine made without materially weakening the construction. The machine shown is built up of separate panels, one of which is shown in Fig. 10, comprising a frame having a front bar 79, a rear bar 80, side bars 81 and 82 and ribs 83, 84. Cloth or any other equivalent air-resisting material 85 is stretched over top and bottom of the frame and may be tacked to the bars and ribs.

' -125, 126 are strengthening braces to pre- 1 vent lateral-distortion.

In order to detachably hold the panels, I have provided sockets such as shown in Figs:

7, 8 and 9, made of metal bent'into a substantial U-shape. As seen in Fig. 9, the panel 87 is slipped laterally into the socket 88 and fastened by passing the bolt 89 through the socket and side bar. The panel 90 is slipped into the similar socket 91 and similarly fastened. The spacing post 4: is slipped into the sockets 91 and 92, and the diagonal trussing wires 93, 94 attachedto the diagonal ears of the socket. If two additional panelsare to be provided in the same plane as the other panels, the similar panels 95, 96 may be slipped into the open ends of the sockets and similarly fastened and trussed by the wires 97, 98. The sockets 125 at the rear may be the same, or, if it is desired to extendthe surfaces beyond the rear posts, they may be made in twoparts by merely cutting off the connecting metal as shown by the dotted lines g y in Fig. 8. If it is desired to make a machine of three superposed surfaces, or to add or omit any desired panels, it is very easy to do so. For example as shown'in Fig. 11, an additional surface has been added above the other two bv adding five similar panels with sockets and posts and trussing wires. With such construction themachine may be easily as- 1 sembled and knocked down, and the cost of construction is materially reduced.

Assuming the machine to be resting on the water, the operator releases his lever allowing the floats 32 and 33 to come to the horizontal position so that they support either side of the machine which tips downwardly. After raising the wheels, the engine is started, which will drive the machine through the water, and as it starts the operator pulls on the lever, inclining the balancing blades to the position shown in Fig. 1 and, as the boat lifts somewhat as the speed increases, they barely touch the water as long as the machine is in balance laterally. The rush of the water against them exerts a lift, and depression of one side of the machine causes the blade on that side to enter the water to an extent proportional to the amount of depression and the other blade will rise out of the water. The one in the water exerts a lift due to water-rush against the inclined surface which will restore equilibrium, and the lift decreases a: equilibrium is approached. The machin will therefore automatically be kept sub vstantially horizontal. In'making a turn try the left or the right on the water, the effec of the rear vertical steering rudder may b supplemented by causing the one or th other balancing blade to exert a drag o the side toward which the turn is to t made. This may be done by depressin either side of the machine by the use of tl ailerons. This will cause the machine to t.- laterally and the blade on the depressed si to dipinto the. water to an abnormal exter and help to turn the machine toward th side. The action of the inclined prow st face 28 of the boat causes the machine tilt upward somewhat, and the flat hyd! planing under-surface of the boatand t downwardly-inclined surface 29 and t edge in which it terminates thereon can: the water to be left in a not seriously d turbed condition and through the hyd planing action prevents the machine fr burying, that is, tipping unduly downw: at the rear. When the speed of the mach over the water is sufficient, the opera pulls the lever 7 backward, which tilts front elevating rudder to a positive angle incidence, and the two rear elevating r ders to negative angles of incidence, and

' machine is thereby rocked backward with the resulting increase in angle of i dence of the wings rises out of thewz The operator then releases the lever which allows the floats 32, 33 and blade take the'horizontal position where they 1 the least resistance to the atmosphere.

descending to alight on the water, the c ator shuts off his engine if desired,

glides downward to the water, at the a time pulling on his lever 42 to incline balancing blades. The inclined hydro face 2-8 strikes the water and serves to the machine upwardly from its gliding course, so that it will not topple over forward and tend to dive. As it runs forward on the water, the blades lieep it in substantial equilibrium. If it is desired to run out onto a beach, for example, the engine may be started or allowed to continueto run, and

as the shore is approached the operator re- 1 leases vdetent 106 which allows the wheels tom of theboathe may run up on the 'land.

to drop back to their position shown in Fig. 2 and as they project slightly below the bot- The machine may either rise from the land .or ,waterfas desired.

' I am aware, that various modifications may be made in my invention Without departing from the spirit of the claims, and I therefore do not desire to be limited to the preferred embodiments herein shown in the exert its drawings, I a What is claimed is:

v1. A hydroaeroplane comprising acre-- plane wings, a longitudinally continuous water-borne base therefor having a hydrosurface therebeneath arranged to hydroplane lift substantially vertioally below the region of the center of planing aeroplane lift and terminating rearwardly in a transverse edge extending across said base and constituting substantially the lowermost portion of said,s11rface,'sa1d base projecting a considerable distance in front ofthe region of aeroplane lift such that the I I longitudinally distant from and above said plane wings,

-' stantially horizontally said 'edgeis nearer said region than is the front of said base,

edge, means to steer said machine in air, and

aerial driving means exerting its thrust. sub- 7 and materially above said'base.

2, A hydroaeroplane comprising aeroa longitudinally continuous c -'water-borne base therefor-having a hydroplanebottom makinga small positive angle with said-wings and terminating rearwardly ina transverse edge constituting substanti- I allythe lowermost position of and ,terminating laterally 1n abruptly 5'0; of thecenterof aeroplane lift-such that the saidfledgeis nearer the re {lift than is the front 1 controlslocated longitudinally distant from said surface turned chine'edges, said base projecting a considerable distance in front of the region gion of aeroplane of Sitld base, elevating and above said edge, and aerial driving means exerting its thrust on a horizontal line materially above said base. i

i 7 plane wings, 6 I planing M transverse edge located am the rear of the center of gravity of the machine as a whole '3. A hydroaeroplane comprising aeroa longitudinally continuous water-borne base therefor having a hydrobottom termlnating rearwardly in a and terminating laterally "in abruptly turned chine edges, said base projecting a elevating controls located considerable distance in front of the region tudinally continuous, waterborne base there for havlng a hydroplaning surface therebeneath and terminating in an edge, elevating and steering controls located longito the region of aerocomprising aeroplane wl-ngs, aerial drlvlng means, a longi-' tudinally distant from and above saidedge' and forming with said hydrosurface and edge, an angle of substantial saliency of which the edge constitutes the apex, said base being of sufficient length to give substantial longitudinal stability both when standing and when operating at speed upon the water, yet freely rockable through manipulation of said' elevating controls, and said wings making a small positive angle with said hydrosurface whereby the wings are maintained at a flying angle of incidence while the craft is operating at speed on the surface of the water and said flying angle of incidence may be varied.

5. A hydroaeroplane comprising aeroplane wings, an aerial driving means, a long1tudinally continuous 'wate'rborne base therefor havlng a hydroplaning surface ,therebeneath terminating n a transverse edge and the major portion of the area of which lies in advance of the region of aeroplane lift, elevating and steering controls located aft of, distant from and above said edge and forming with said hydroplanin surface and edge, an angle of substantisfi saliency, said base being of sulficient length to give substantial longitudinal stability both when standing and when operating at speed upon the water, yet freely rockable through manipulation of said elevating controls, said base being free of material water resistantsurfaces aft of the terminus of said hydroplaning area and said wings making a small positive angle with said hydroplaningsurface whereby the wings are maintained at a fl 'ng angle of incidencefwhile the craft is ope ating at speed over the surface of the water andsaid flying angle of J incidence may be freely varied.

\ 6. A hydroaeroplane comprising aeroplane wings, a longitudinally continuous waterborne base therefor having a hydro edge and the major portion of which lies in advance of p v aerial driving means therefor exerting a driving thrust on a horizontal line above 12s planing area therebe'neath terminating in an] the region of aeroplane lift, an"

said hydroplaning surface, elevatin and steering controls located longitudina y distant from and above said edge and forming with said hydrosurface and edge, an angle of substantial saliency of which the ed e constitutes the apex, said base being of su cient length to give substantial longitudinal stability both when standing and when operating at speed upon the water, yet freely rockable through manipulation of saidelevating controls, and said wings making a small positive angle with said hydrosurface whereby the wings are maintained at a flying angle of incidence while the craft is operating at speed on the surface of the water and said flying angle of incidence may be varied.

7. A hydroaeroplane comprising aeroplane wings, aerial driving means, a l0ng1.

tudinally continuous waterborne base therefor having a hydroplaning surface therebeneath terminating in an edge, said hydroplaning surface havin a broad downwardly and rearwardly inclined area at the frontal portion thereof in advance of said wings, a substantially horizontally extending area beneath the resultant center of lift of said wings, and a transversely extending edge rearward of said latter area, elevating and steering controls located longitudinally distant from and above said edge and forming with said hydrosurface and edge, an angle of substantial saliency of which the edge constitutes the apex, said 'base being of suificient length to give substantial longitudinal stability both when standing and when operating at. speed upon the water, yet freely rockable through manipulation of said elevating controls, and said wings making a small positive angle with said hydrosurface whereby the wings are maintained at a flying angle of incidence while the craft is operating at speed on the surface of the water and said flying angle of incidence may be varied.

8.; A hydroaeroplane comprising aeroplane wings, aerial driving means, a longitudinally continuous waterborne base therefor having a hydroplaning surface there beneath terminating in an edge, the center of nydroplaning lift of which surface when the craft is operated at speed upon the water 'lies in the vicinity of the vertical projection of the region of the resultant center of lift of said aeroplane wings, elevating and steering controls located longitudinally distant from and above said edge and forming with said hydrosurface and edge, an angle of substantial saliency of which the edge constitutes the apex, said base being of sufficient lengthto give substantial longitudinal stability both when standing and when operating at speed upon the water, yet freely rockable through manipulation of said elevating controls, and said wings making a small positive angle with said hydrosurfaoe' whereby the wings are maintained at a flying angle of incidence while the craft is operating at speed on the surface of the water and said flying angle of incidence may be varied.

9. A hydroaeroplan'e comprising aeroabove said edge and forming with said hydrosurface and edge, an angle of substantial saliency of which the edge constitutes the apex, said base being of suflicient length to give substantial longitudinal stability both when standing and when operating at speed upon the water, yet freely rockable through manipulation of said elevating'controls, and said wing making a small positive angle with said hydrosurface whereby the'wings are maintained at a flying angle of incidence while the craft is operating at speed on the surface of the water and said flying angle of incidence may be varied.

10. A hydroaeroplane comprising aeroplane wings, a longitudinally continuous waterborne base therefor havm planing surface therebeneath pro ecting considerably in advance of said win and having a downwardly and rearwnr 1y inclined broad frontal portion, and a broad laterally a hydro- 3 extended portion extending more horizontally and rearwardly terminating in an edge located aft of said wings, the center of hydroplaning lift of which surface when the craft is operated at speed upon the water lying in the vicinity of the vertical projection of the region of the resultant center of lift of said aeroplane wings,'but somewhat in advance of the same, aerial driving means having a line'of driving thrust 10- of, distant from and above. said edge and forming with said hydroplanin surface ,cated materially above saidwaterborne base, 3 elevating and steering controls located aft and edge, an angle ofa substantia saliency of which the edge constitutes the apex, sai base and hydroplaning surface being of sufficient length to give substantial longitudinal stability both 'when standing and when operating at speed upon the water,

yet free of material water resistant surfaces aft of said terminal edge of the hydroplaningsurface and freely rockable through manipulation of said elevating controls, and said wings making a small positive an 1e with said hydroplaning surfacewhereby time ,wings "are maintained at a flying angle of incidence while the craft is operating at speed over the surface of the water and'said flying angle of incidence may be freely varied.

11. A 'hydroaeroplane comprising aeroplane wings, aerial driving means, a longitudinally continuous waterborne base therefor having a hydroplaning surface therebeneath terminating rearwardly in an edge constituting substantially the lowermost portion of said surface and said base having a transversely broad downwardly and rearwardly inclined landing prow, and elevating and steering controls located longitudinally distant from and above said edge and forming with said hydrosurface and edge an angle of substantial saliency of which the edge constitutes the apex, said base being of sufiicient length to give subjstantial longitudinal stability both when standing andwhen operating at speed upon 'the water, yet freely rockable through manipulation of said elevating controls, whereby the angle of incidence of said wings may be varied.

12. A hydroaeroplane comprising -aerowings but in advance of the same, elevating and steering controls located longitudinally distant from and above said edge and forming with said hydrosurface and edge an angle of substantial saliency of which the edge constitutes the apex, said base having a transversely broad downwardly and rearwardlyinclined landing prow and being of sufficient length to give substantial longi tudinal stability both when standing and .when operating at speed upon the water,

yet freely rockable through manipulation of said elevating controls when the machine is at speed, whereby the angle of incidence of wings may be varied.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

I GLENN H. GURTISS. 

